What is Asthma?
Asthma is a lung problem that makes it difficult for sufferers to breathe due to inflammation and narrowing of the respiratory tract.
Not only difficulty breathing, asthma also causes other symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and chest pain.
The respiratory tract of people with asthma is more sensitive than that of other people without asthma.
When the lungs are irritated due to trigger substances (cigarette smoke, dust, animal hair, etc.), the sufferer’s respiratory tract muscles become stiff and narrow.
Asthma Symptoms
Someone who suffers from asthma can experience a variety of symptoms, such as:
- Asphyxiate;
- Cough, especially at night or early in the morning;
- Hard to breathe;
- Wheezing, which causes a whistling sound when exhaling.
The pattern of symptoms for each person with asthma can be different. However, the most common symptom patterns are:
- Comes and goes over time or within the same day;
- Starting or getting worse with a viral infection, such as a cold;
- Triggered by exercise, allergies, cold air, or hyperventilation from laughing or crying;
- Worse at night or in the morning.
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Asthma Risk Factors
Bacteria that come from dust are often the main triggers for asthma .
This bacteria is called endotoxin, which is generally found in household utensils, especially in bedrooms, which causes asthma symptoms.
Other risk factors that can trigger asthma include:
- Cigarette .
- Animal fur .
- Cold air .
- Viral infection .
- Exposure to chemicals.
- Physical activity.
- Lung and upper respiratory tract infections .
- Certain jobs such as welders, carpenters, or textile factory workers;
- Excessive emotions (laughing out loud or protracted sadness) .
- Food allergies, such as nuts.
Causes of Asthma
Asthma is a type of disease that can affect all ages.
This condition is most often caused by dust, cigarette smoke, animal dander, cold air, physical activity, viral infections and exposure to chemicals.
However, until now the main cause of asthma is not known for certain. However, people with asthma have been shown to have more sensitive respiratory tracts.
When the lungs are irritated, the respiratory tract muscles become stiff and narrow. Then, phlegm production increases, making it difficult for sufferers to breathe.
In children, asthma symptoms will disappear by themselves when they enter adolescence.
However, in children who have severe asthma symptoms, the condition may persist or reappear in the future.
Recommendations from doctors at Halodoc that can treat asthma
If you experience the signs and symptoms of asthma above, immediately contact a doctor on the Halodoc application to get advice on the best treatment.
Early treatment can help avoid asthma complications that can be life-threatening.
Below are several specialist doctors who have more than 5 years of experience and have received good ratings from the patients they previously treated.
That’s a list of various specialist doctors you can contact to treat asthma.
No need to worry if the doctor is not available or offline .
Because, you can still make a consultation appointment at another time via the Halodoc application .
Asthma Diagnosis
In the initial stage, the doctor will conduct a medical interview (anamnesis) and physical examination first.
You need to know that the diagnosis of asthma is based on episodic symptoms, symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, and variability related to the weather.
To help make a diagnosis of asthma, the doctor may need to carry out several supporting examinations.
For example, lung function with a spirometer. Lung function measurements are used to assess:
- Airway obstruction;
- Reversibility of pulmonary function abnormalities;
- Pulmonary physiology variability, as an indirect assessment of airway hyperresponsiveness.
There are also several other tests to help doctors diagnose asthma, namely:
- Check peak expiratory flow using a peak flow rate meter ;
- Reversibility test (with bronchodilators);
- Bronchial provocation test, to assess the presence/absence of bronchial hyperactivity;
- Allergy test to assess the presence or absence of allergies;
- Chest x-ray, to rule out diseases other than asthma.
Asthma Complications
Asthma that is left untreated can trigger various complications, such as:
- Psychological problems (anxiety, stress, or depression);
- Decreased performance at school or work;
- The body often feels tired;
- Growth and puberty disorders in children;
- Status asthmaticus, which is a severe asthma condition that does not respond to normal therapy;
- Pneumonia;
- Respiratory failure;
- Damage to part or all of the lung;
- Death.
Asthma Treatment
There are two things that need to be done in treating asthma, namely relieving symptoms and preventing recurrence of symptoms.
Therefore, asthma sufferers need to be disciplined in undergoing treatment with a doctor so that asthma remains under control.
Apart from taking medication, asthma sufferers must also avoid things that trigger recurrence.
Usually, doctors recommend inhalers as a treatment when asthma symptoms appear.
However, using inhalers also has the potential to cause side effects for users.
If an asthma attack occurs with increasingly severe symptoms, even though treatment has been carried out with inhalers or medication, medical treatment at the hospital is necessary.
The reason is, asthma can also endanger the sufferer’s life
Asthma Prevention
This lung problem is a type of disease that can be controlled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Apart from that, you should pay attention to the following things:
- Recognize and avoid asthma triggers;
- Follow the doctor’s recommended asthma treatment plan;
- Carry out appropriate treatment steps by identifying the cause of asthma attacks;
- Using asthma medicines that have been recommended by your doctor regularly;
- Monitor airway conditions.
It should be noted that using inhalers actually risks increasing asthma reactions.
Therefore, it is important to discuss this with a doctor, so that the asthma treatment plan is adjusted to your needs.
Flu and pneumonia vaccinations are also recommended for people with asthma to prevent dangerous complications related to breathing.
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